Jefferson County, Illinois: deer harvest and public hunting land
Jefferson County covers 584 square miles around Mount Vernon. Hunters took 5,124 deer here in the 2025-26 season, all seasons together, by IDNR's county summary; the county record is 5,124 (2025). That is up 6% from 2024, and the most in the 5 years shown. 4.8% of Jefferson County is public land open to the public, the largest share IDNR sites open to hunting (14,192 acres), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and IDNR's hunting area records.
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: IDNR's county summaries, 2021-22 to 2025-26. Land: PAD-US 4.1 and IDNR's land records.
IDNR sites open to huntingOther IDNR and state landForest preserves, county and city landLand trusts and other open landJefferson CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 373,584 acres (584 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer taken, 2025-26 | 5,124 (ten-year average 4,004) |
| Record harvest (IDNR) | 5,124 in 2025 |
| CWD detected (IDNR) | No |
| Public land | 4.8% (17,758 acres) |
| IDNR hunting sites | 4 (14,191 acres inside Jefferson County) |
| Towns in and near it | Mount Vernon, Ina, Dix, Walnut Hill, Kell and Irvington |
How many deer are harvested in Jefferson County?
Hunters took 5,124 deer in Jefferson County in the 2025-26 season, against a ten-year average of 4,004. IDNR's firearm permit quota was 4,400 and its muzzleloader quota 700.
| Season | Deer taken | Ten-year average | Firearm permits / quota | Muzzleloader permits / quota | CWD detected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 5,124 | 4,004 | 4,400 / 4,400 | 700 / 700 | No |
| 2024-25 | 4,834 | 3,862 | 3,600 / 3,600 | 600 / 600 | No |
| 2023-24 | 4,247 | 3,727 | 3,200 / 3,200 | 550 / 550 | No |
| 2022-23 | 3,931 | 3,676 | 3,300 / 3,300 | 575 / 575 | No |
| 2021-22 | 3,792 | 3,710 | 3,600 / 3,600 | 545 / 575 | No |
Source: IDNR white-tailed deer county summaries (2021-22 to 2025-26 seasons), Jefferson County. Permit counts exclude landowner permits; archery and youth permits are statewide.
How much public land is in Jefferson County?
17,758 of Jefferson County's 373,584 acres are public land open to the public (4.8%). The biggest share is IDNR sites open to hunting: 14,192 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Jefferson County |
|---|---|---|
| IDNR sites open to hunting | 14,192 | 3.8% |
| Forest preserves, county and city land | 3,131 | 0.8% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 298 | 0.1% |
| Other IDNR and state land | 137 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 17,758 | 4.8% |
Measured by FilledTag inside the county line from USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public) and IDNR's hunting area records. Hunting rules differ by manager: IDNR sites allow the seasons IDNR lists for each, some by permit or lottery only; national forest is open; refuges follow U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service rules; Corps of Engineers land is open in many places under each project's own rules; forest preserves and city land are closed to most hunting.
IDNR hunting sites in Jefferson County
IDNR hunting sites in Jefferson County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Rend Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area: 9,373 acres
- Ten Mile Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area: 3,740 acres
- Mt. Vernon Game Propagation Center: 653 acres
- Wayne Fitzgerrell State Recreation Area: 425 acres
How do you get to Jefferson County?
Highways through it: I-64 (about 57 miles inside), I-57 (about 51 miles inside), IL 15 (about 26 miles inside), IL 37 (about 25 miles inside) and IL 148 (about 18 miles inside). Towns inside: Mount Vernon, Ina, Dix, Bluford, Bonnie and Waltonville. Nearby: Walnut Hill (on the line), Kell (on the line), Irvington (on the line) and Dahlgren (on the line).
Which counties border Jefferson County?
Jefferson County touches 6 other counties. Their latest IDNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perry County | 2,993 | 2025 | 6.7% |
| Wayne County | 3,288 | 2025 | 0.5% |
| Marion County | 3,885 | 2025 | 1.1% |
| Franklin County | 2,638 | 2025 | 1.1% |
| Hamilton County | 2,671 | 2025 | 1.8% |
| Washington County | 2,439 | 2025 | 0.5% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Jefferson County in 2025-26?
5,124, all seasons together (IDNR). In 2024-25: 4,834. The county record is 5,124, set in 2025.
Has chronic wasting disease been found in Jefferson County?
Not as of IDNR's 2025-26 county summary.
Is there public hunting land in Jefferson County?
17,758 acres, 4.8% of the county, are public land open to the public by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and IDNR's hunting area records, the largest share IDNR sites open to hunting (14,192 acres). IDNR's records show 4 sites open to hunting here.
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Where these numbers come from
- Deer harvest: IDNR white-tailed deer county summaries (2021-22 to 2025-26 seasons).
- Public land: USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public) and IDNR's hunting area records. IDNR hunting sites: IDNR land records: sites and hunting areas (OMLP, Prairie Research Institute).
- Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau 2024 cartographic county boundaries. Highways and towns: U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 primary and secondary roads; U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer, places.
FilledTag is not part of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Numbers are copied from IDNR and the federal sources above, or measured from their maps; nothing on this page is estimated by FilledTag.
Illinois hunting Perry County Wayne County Marion County Franklin County Hamilton County Washington County